confuse

verb

kən-ˈfyüz How to pronounce confuse (audio)
Definition of confusenext
1
as in to bewilder
to throw into a state of mental uncertainty the similar-sounding words "censure" and "censor" often confuse people

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to complicate
to make (something) unclear to the understanding stop confusing the issue with irrelevant facts

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3
as in to mistake
to fail to differentiate (a thing) from something similar or related a lot of people confuse popular fame with enduring achievement

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4
as in to embarrass
to throw into a state of self-conscious distress she was confused by the shocking bluntness of his marriage proposal

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5
as in to disrupt
to undo the proper order or arrangement of vandals had hopelessly confused the papers in the office files

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of confuse Most infections are asymptomatic or cause flulike symptoms that could be confused with a common cold, meaning that the true number of infections is likely far higher. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2026 Evans also cautioned against confusing maximal lifespan for a healthy lifespan. — Lauren Chan, STAT, 20 Aug. 2026 This reserve should not be confused with a permanent investment strategy. — Steve Booren, Denver Post, 16 Aug. 2026 The light entering my eyes would bend at two different angles, confusing my brain and making my vision a little blurry. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confuse
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confuse
  1. bewilder
  2. complicate
  3. mistake
  4. embarrass
  5. disrupt
  6. perplex
  7. blur
  8. fluster
Verb
  • That’s a common sentiment from a touring superstar, but there’s a sense that Kahan really might be as happily bewildered as the rest of us about how songs this personal and cloudy came to captivate even sunny California.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The threats are constantly evolving, layering upon themselves with bewildering speed.
    — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of bewilder
Verb
  • Finding a job has rarely been easy, but in 2026, fierce competition, the growing use of artificial intelligence and a lack of trust in employers have further complicated the process.
    — Rachel Barber, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The details of the investigation are complicated, to say the least, but the short version is that two companies Walter controls, both insurance companies, used investor funds on private-credit deals, essentially making loans directly to businesses.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of complicate
Verb
  • At 6-2, his tall stature shouldn’t be mistaken for a target striker.
    — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026
  • People often mistake figeater beetles for Japanese beetles, which are a major pest, Windbiel-Rojas said.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of mistake
Verb
  • College students should not have to worry about their parents embarrassing them to an audience of thousands.
    — Mary Frances Ruskell, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • One night earlier in the tour, a woman Usher had brought onstage rebuked him, which embarrassed him.
    — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of embarrass
Verb
  • The country is mired in a war with Iran with no graceful exit opportunities; a new round of tariffs threatens to further disrupt fragile global trade relations; and the domestic economy faces inflation combined with paltry growth.
    — Zachary Karabell, Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Warships, mammoth bones and parts of ancient constructions all have emerged from the slumping waters of the Danube, the Rhine and other rivers in the scorching drought that has also disrupted trade, power and water supplies.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of disrupt
Verb
  • Gibson Nash, 21, was charged with first-degree murder after a series of perplexing events eventually led police to his mother’s bloodied body.
    — Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The Brazil midfielder has expressed a desire to join Arsenal, but Newcastle did not want to sell him this summer and have been perplexed by the lack of direct contact from the London club.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of perplex
Verb
  • Combining archival and original footage, and blurring the categories of documentary essay and the poetic avant-garde, Pelechian’s visionary works revolve around a grand recurring theme of humankind’s tumultuous relationship to the natural world.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
  • But this summer, the lines between business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) marketing became increasingly blurred.
    — Taylor Cheek-Mundy, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of blur
Verb
  • Saliba is rarely flustered, so to see his game affected as much as it was made an impression.
    — Art de Roché, New York Times, 17 July 2026
  • The Germans dominated the match after the break but struggled to break down Paraguay’s defense as the South Americans once again assumed the compact defending that had flustered Turkey and Australia in the opening group stage.
    — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 29 June 2026
Definition of fluster

Browse Nearby Words

confronts
confuse
confused
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Cite this Entry

“Confuse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confuse. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of confuse for Spanish Speakers

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